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Channagi Saaru - Sprouted Lentil Amati

Recently Jaya announced a nice 'Repost Event', rewrite and repost past recipes to that you had posted in the very beginning and was lost because you were new blogger. I had one more problem, I used to write most of my recipes in Marathi back then. It became more tedious when I started participating in events to write same recipe in English and Marathi, and proof read it etc become like a second job. Finally I had to switch to English only posts. This event gave one (more) incentive to convert some of my favorite recipes in English.

I spent many of my summer vacations in Belgaum at my Ajji's (father's aunt) place. She always had a cook at home mainly to do some mundane work in the kitchen like making chapatis, rotti's (Bhakari) and daily preparation. Actual cooking was always done by my Ajji or my aunts. I learned a lot of things from Ajji. I have shared her simple toor daal amati recipe here. Tuesdays were different than rest of the week as my uncles get to stay home as shops are closed! In the evening we would go out to eat or one of my uncle would take charge of the kitchen. He would make something that gave him opportunity to show all his culinary skills. We kids would always help him here and there. This is one of his recipes - Channagi Saaru (Channagi - Masoorm, Saaru - Curry). I would always ask him to make this when I visited. He would serve it with plain white bread, bit of sev and lime juice. It used to be heaven in a bowl.

I must tell you whole lentils from Belgaum are smaller than you get everywhere in Maharashtra. And they are more flavorful and my favorite. Cooked lentils are more earthen but once they are sprouted and cooked they become sweeter and much more delicate than you expect.

Now add sprouts and saute for at least 2-3 minutes on medium flame. Add red chili powder and enough hot water to cover it. Mix in chopped onion. Cover and let it cook.

Add salt, kokum and jaggery at the end and boil it for 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm with bread.

Tips -

Sprouting lentils is not hard. Just soak them for 7-8 hours. Drain and spread over paper towel/cheese cloth for an hour. Keep them in a colander cover with damp cheese cloth and keep in warm place for 10-12 hours minimum.

Please use red onion if you you are planning to use it. I feel white or yellow onions do not give the desired taste. Do not saute onions.

Sprouted lentil amti looks so delicious and authentic! Loved reading about your Aaji also. Thanks so much for visiting my blog; I am so glad you did because now I found yours! You maintain a great embroidery collection which is very creative! I used to do embroidery back in Maharashtra but now knitting/crocheting & painting have taken over as my first craft love :)

Mints, I never realized you could sprout the whole masoor. Next mission, sprout whole masoor.I have to score some goda masala to try this Amti out. I can tell it is as authentic as it can get with the spices and the regional lentils. And thank you for the lovely entry. It is going to the roundup by the end of the day.